'It's my second skin': A Steelers fan's immaculate jersey collection
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Edgar Gonzalez has a jersey collection consisting of 254 Steelers jerseys.
"I always call it, like it's my second skin," said the Toronto native.
Each year before heading to Steelers training camp, Gonzalez lays his jerseys out in his backyard and takes a ceremonial picture.
"I start by preparing the field, putting [down] some plastic to protect the jerseys. Then, I start by taking them from their hooks in my closet," Gonzalez said. "I need to be done before 3 PM otherwise the shadow will be in the middle of the jersey display."
Gonzalez goes up and down his stairs, in and out of his house, in order to snap the perfect picture before time runs out.
Edgar sets his camera up on the second floor, sets the timer, and runs as fast as he can back outside to get this Steelers snapshot.
"[I] go around the jerseys and then just jump in the middle of the air, bring my legs and hands up, and spread my Terrible Towel in the air," Gonzalez said.
"It's kind of fun for me to say, 'Well, now here is Plaxico Burress, and here is Hines Ward, and here is Heath Miller.'" "So, I'm getting all of these memories about these players, about these big plays that they do or the ones that made a huge impact on my life when I started following the Steelers," Gonzalez added.
"It's part of the tradition, this heritage that still makes me very proud about being a Steeler fan. So, every time I go down and up just for a jersey, I just say, 'Yeah, they work hard as well,' and I try to work hard just to get this picture done," Gonzalez said.
"It's going to be part of my life, hopefully, for a long, long time."
